Bridgestone's Illinois OTR plant marks 55th anniversary

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.—Bridgestone Americas Inc.'s off-the-road tire plant in Bloomington has reached a milestone: 55 years in operation.

The plant was opened by Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. in 1965 and continues to focus on Firestone-brand tires today. Employment stands at 450, including three who are sons of employees who were among those original plant employees.

Bridgestone is in the third year of $12 million investment to expand production of popular tire sizes, adding multiple sizes and patterns for 29-, 33- and 35-inch OTR tires that previously were produced in Japan.

Capacity at the plant is listed as 300 units a day, primarily bias-ply. Bridgestone added radial capacity at the plant in 2017.

Bloomington Plant Manager Jeremy Gray said the facility "holds a very unique and proud connection to the Bloomington community and place within the Bridgestone manufacturing footprint. This is a milestone that we are proud to reach thanks to the dedication of so many who have invested in our plant—first and foremost, our employees and retirees, as well as the ongoing support of our customers and the local community and state of Illinois."

Among the achievements at the plant are:

• Recertification as a Star participant as part of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program;
• Gold level in the Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Process Certification;
• Illinois American Legion Employer of the Year for hiring veterans; and
• U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association's 2017 Improvement Award for achievements in worker safety and health.

The plant also participated in Bridgestone Corp.'s global corporate social responsibility commitment and community volunteer projects with several local organizations, including the Children's Home & Aid and McLean County Chamber of Commerce.

"I want to thank all of our Bridgestone employees, past and present, who have contributed to making our Bloomington Tire Plant such a success over the last 55 years," said Bridget Neal, president of the off-the-road tire division for Bridgestone Americas.

"As our customer needs have continued to evolve, the resilience, adaptability and quality mindset of our employees in Bloomington remain the pillars of our ability to provide the best-in-class products to each of our customers."

It's Bridgestone's second OTR tire plant in the U.S.—the other is in Aiken County, S.C.—and seventh worldwide: three in Japan, one in Spain and the newest, in Amata City, Thailand, opened in October 2019.